After retiring in 2025, I decided it was finally time to tackle a longtime bucket list dream: seeing America by train. My first journey was the legendary Coast Starlight from Portland to Los Angeles. From my sleeper cabin, I watched snow-capped…
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Adventure
Atlanta’s Cabbagetown feels like a neighborhood caught between two worlds. Historic mill cottages line narrow streets while giant murals stretch for blocks across warehouse walls. One moment, you are admiring wildflower gardens beside porches. Next, you are walking through a railroad…
Adventure International
Historic Padua Italy: Evening Walks, Giotto Frescoes, Love Walls & Hidden Streets
Northern Italy has no shortage of famous cities. Venice draws crowds for its canals. Florence attracts travelers searching for Renaissance art. Verona offers romance and Roman ruins. Yet Padua surprised me more than I expected. Padua was the first…
I visited St Andrews on a day trip with a Scottish friend during my travels through Scotland last June. I expected a golf town. Instead, I found a coastal university town filled with golf history, medieval ruins, seaside walks,…
Adventure U.S. Washington DC
Hidden Gems Near the Smithsonian: 10 Overlooked Stops on the National Mall
Discover hidden gems near the Smithsonian in Washington DC in my guide to 10 overlooked stops on the National Mall. Most visitors move quickly between the Smithsonian museums, checking off highlights like the Natural History Museum and the Air…
Adventure Pet-Centric U.S. Washington DC
U.S. Park Police Horse Stables & Education Center: What to See + Tips From a Volunteer
Updated: April 16, 2026 (now includes behind-the-scenes insights from my weekly volunteer work at the stables) The U.S. Park Police Horse Stables & Education Center on the National Mall opened in 2023 as a rare behind-the-scenes look at the…
Just an hour west of Washington, D.C., Sky Meadows State Park opens into a wide sweep of pasture, ridge, and sky. I come here with my daughter Claire, my golden retriever Parker, and Flan, her flat-coated retriever, for a…
Trieste, Italy, is a city you understand on foot. Start at the canal, follow the footsteps of writers, and end at the grand square where the city meets the Adriatic. I visited Trieste last September, when I took a…